Bolangir: Be it edible oil, spices, medicines or tobacco products, it seems Odisha has now turned into a hub of food adulteration business. Not only in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, many illegal units are mushrooming in several parts of the State and are raking in huge profit by adultering food items and products which can adversely affect the lives of consumers.
Corroborating this is today's incident in Bolangir where Police raided a factory in Clubpada area based on allegations that adulterated turmeric powder was being manufactured, packed and sold in the market.
Acting on the tip-off, a police team raided a mill and detained its owner Rakesh Sharma. As huge quantities of paddy and husk of other food items were seized from the spot, it is suspected that adulterated turmeric powder was being prepared by mixing such products.
The cops have also seized some empty labels and packets of A.T.M. brand turmeric which reportedly is manufactured in Raipur. This apart, samples of over 10 other ingredients have been collected from the mill, which will be sent for lab test.
"Based on complaints, we raided the mill and seized some samples. A probe is underway, “said IIC of Bolangir Town Police Station, Sangram Patnaik.
However, the mill owner has refuted the allegations of adulteration at his unit. “The turmeric brand is completely genuine product and there is no adulteration,” said Sharma.
“Everything depends on what products are used for adulteration. It may have serious health implications,” said a doctor.
Not only in Bolangir, recently the Commissionerate Police had busted adulterated edible oil manufacturing unit at Phulnakhara Bamphud area in Cuttack and Laxmisagar area in Bhubaneswar. Similarly, several fake lubricants and tobacco manufacturing units have also been busted in other parts of the State in the recent past.